Travel Info

The Wells & Area Touring Map shows all the routes by road and rail as well as locations for train stations and Bristol Airport. Wells cannot be reached by water unless there is very heavy flooding on the Somerset Levels!

This page provides some basic details but please do check with the operators for details timetables and up to date information.

If you are planning to travel to this beautiful part of Somerset we hope you have a safe journey whatever your mode of transport and we look forward to seeing you.

By Car

The car is probably the most favoured mode of transport for reaching Wells. The City's main roads are the A39 which connects us to the M5 motorway to the west and contines through to Bath and M4 in the north. The A39 joins the A37 for the road to Bristol and the M4. The A371 connects Wells to Weston-Super-Mare in the west to Wincanton and A303 in the south. Wells has three fuel stations and there are a number of others in the surrounding towns. Our Wells City Map shows the locations of Car Parks, fuel stations and one way streets to help you navigate around the town.

On Saturdays during July and August all-day car parking for £3 is available on the Palace Farm Fields (acess via Silver Street)

The Automobile Association's Route Planner may be of some help for planning your journey to Wells. It provides maps and detailed information for your routes. We have provided a direct link to the Route Planner page below.

Wells has a number of car parks. The Parkopedia webpage for Wells may have some useful information on parking times/restrictions and prices.

By Local Bus Service

Wells is quite well connected by local buses which regularly run between Wells and the towns of Bristol, Bath, Weston-Super-Mare, Shepton Mallet and Glastonbury.

The First Group Wells Bus Timetable takes you to page that shows all the First Group timetables for services that pass through Wells. Schedules and routes may change throughout the year so please check their website for any changes that may have been made recently.

By National Coach Service

National Express is a long distance coach service and is ideal if coming from further afield as they are fast and do not stop at many places along a route. The NX403 service is a direct link between Central London (London Victoria Coach Station) via Heathrow Airport (Terminals 1,2 & 3) and a few other stops to Wells. This coach service terminates in Street.

There are no changes of coach on this route and the journey time from London Victoria Coach Station to Wells as shown on their website takes approx 3 hours and 40 minutes. Having done this journey the reality is sometimes more than 4 hours as there is often heavy traffic in London.

If you are catching this bus from London Heathrow expect a journey time of approx. 3 - 3 ½ hours. If you are arriving at Heathrow terminals 4 or 5 and you are travelling by coach to Wells you will need to make use of the free transfer to terminals 1,2 & 3 via the underground tube line.

By Train

There are no direct train services to Wells but there are several choices of station with connecting bus services to Wells.

1) From Bristol Temple Meads railway station catch the 376 bus service to Wells. The bus stops outside the train station. There are no changes of bus along the route and the journey is approx. 1 hour. Click here for the First Group route map of Bristol. The Wells route is shown by a grey line towards the bottom of the page.

2) From Bath Spa railway station catch the 173 bus service to Wells. The Bath bus station is located next to the railway station. There are no changes of bus along the route and the journey is approx. 1 hour 20 minutes. Click here for the First Group route map between Bath and Wells.

4) Castle Cary railway station is the closest to Wells, approx. 15 miles. However, there are not as many train services compared to Bristol and Bath. There is no regular direct bus service to Wells from Castle Cary. You would need to get to Shepton Mallet and then catch the 175 bus to Wells.

Train and bus schedules may change throughout the year so please check their websites for any changes that may have been made recently.

By Air

Bristol Airport is our local international airport. On our Wells & Area Touring Map you can find it at the top of the map about 20 miles north of Wells. Bristol Airport has flights to many destinations within the UK and continental Europe and some limited options to the United States, Africa and Asia.

The easiest way to reach Wells from here is to catch an airport taxi unless someone can meet you there. For those who would like to hire their own transport the airport has a number of car hire companies, Avis, Europcar, Hertz and National Car.

There are no direct buses to Wells from the airport but there are two options: If you can get to Weston-Super-Mare you can catch No. 126 to Wells. Click here for the First Group North Somerset route map or take the Airport Express coach into Bristol and then change onto a local bus No. 376.

For more comprehensive information about airport connections see the Bristol Airport website below.

By Bicycle

For those who have some serious energy to burn, Wells is located on the National Cycle Network (NCN) Route 3 which runs between Bristol and Padstow in Cornwall. The Sustrans website has a page about the West Country Way (Route 3).

Once in Wells you can explore the enchanting Somerset Levels and Mendips with additional cycle route and walking information from the Mendip Hills website.

Taxi Services

Disability Information in Wells

The Wells Visitor Centre has collated useful information that will be of help to those with disablilities. The document provides information on access to attractions in Wells as well as further afield. It also has details on local hospitals, doctors, dentists, wheelchair repairs and taxi operators who cater for wheelchair users.

For further information you can contact the Visitor Service on the number below.